Do you know that my friend here is celibate?

Have you ever considered the words we use when we communicate? They matter!

I can remember one time I totally misused the word Celibate. Yep. Celibate.

It was my freshman year at a small Christian University, and a good guy friend and I were just starting a year-long “pact-of-singleness." We'd agreed: If either of us caught the other getting a little too flirtatious with someone of the opposite gender, we would intervene. There was only one problem: In my head, the word single meant the same thing as celibate.

With this in mind, you can image our pact was going well until, one night, I saw my friend talking with a girl whom I thought he might have interest. Knowing she might not know about our pact, I walked up and began my attempt to intervene for my friend.

Our conversation went something like the following:

Me: Hey man, how’s it going?!

Guy friend: (gritting his teeth) Good, how are you?

Me: Good man, good!

*I turn to the girl*

I’m Jon! What’s your name?

Girl: (name).

Me: Well, (name), It’s very nice to meet you. You seem like a great girl. Now, you may not be aware of this yet, but I’m responsible for holding my friend accountable to his commitments.

Girl: Yes, I’ve heard a lot about you!

Me: Well thank you, I’m sure that the two of you have been having a lovely conversation, but… I must inform you, that, well—as my friend’s accountability partner—I’d just like to let you know that, well…—uh—my friend has made a commitment to celibacy.

*I smile*

*Girl’s mouth opens*

*I give a respectful head-nod as if to silently acknowledge, “Yes indeed, I know! But, it’s true, you’re welcome.”*

Me: …So, I don’t know what you think this is…. What’s happening or not happening here… But I’m here to let you know that my friend here is celibate.

*I fold my hands and smile*

Now, despite how funny this story is, its important because we can never "uncommunicate." At times, this matters less than others. For my friends in this story, it mattered little. I was able to apologize and work-out what I said. At other times, however, it matters much more. 

As Christians, I think we should acknowledge that much of our faith is built around something that was communicated one time, in one way, and with one meaning..

Yes, I’m referring to the Bible. Much of the Christian faith is based around the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic words of this book. 

 So why does this matter?

This matters because we’ve trusted the translation of this book to people who, whether they did or not, had the capability to misuse a word like Celibate.

Now, I know that’s absurd. They wouldn’t misuse a word as badly as I did. Many of them were scholars, and I don’t even have a four-year degree yet. So, I’m not saying they did. Personally, I don’t believe they did.

But, I am calling to our attention that the way they translated these texts does affect our interpretation of the words of God. In the English Standard Version, it attempts to translate each Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic word one word at a time. The Message Version paraphrases entire sections of chapters into what could barely be considered thought for thought translation.

I’m not saying one of these translations is better or worse than the other. I see each used well and for different purposes.

What I am saying is this: we should know the difference these translations have on our interpretation of what God is telling us. Entire chapters are being presented differently.

For one of my communication classes this semester, I’m going to be doing a study on communication and Bibles to make some guesses as to how our communication affects Christian worldviews.